Pets are family members, plain and simple. I will gladly argue with anyone who tries to tell me otherwise. Our pets are truly what make our houses feel like homes. Like the rest of the family, our pets share in our joys and our triumphs, as well as our losses and tragedies. So when it comes to mortality, our pets feel the loss of a family member just as much as the rest of us. However, when our family members are sick in the hospital and on their way out, the sad reality is our pets often times are not allowed to visit and say their goodbyes.
David King was a man who was in the hospital. He knew that his time was around the corner, and he had only one final wish: to say goodbye to his beloved dog. And David’s family were aided by a group of compassionate nurses, who helped them sneak his dog into the hospital.
David was Ellie Miguel’s grandfather. He had been fighting an ongoing battle with cancer for a long time until he was recently hospitalized in Missouri. It was there, that David wasn’t sure if he’d make it home to his beloved Yorkie mix, Lil Fee. And all he wanted, was to see Lil Fee one last time and say his goodbyes.
Unfortunately, the hospital where he was staying was very strict about their no-pets policy. However, Ellie’s grandmother, Cindy, had been encouraged by the nurses to sneak in Lil Fee – they knew how much the farewell would mean to David.
As Ellie revealed to Yahoo Lifestyle, “My grandpa loved his dog Lil Fee; she would follow him around everywhere. He would bring her everywhere he could.”
She added, “My grandpa had been battling cancer for the past couple years, but last week it took over his whole body. He spent about a week in the hospital, and my grandma brought pictures of the dog to hang up.”
Ellie’s aunt assisted in the plot to sneak in Lil Fee by concealing him within a large handbag that was then used to transport him through the hospital to David’s room.
The tender moment when David and Lil Fee reunited was one that brought tears to everyone’s eyes – the family knew they’d done the right thing.
My grandpa is losing his battle with cancer so the nurses helped my grandma sneak their dog into the hospital to say goodbye😭😭 pic.twitter.com/9EW7QGoCtZ
— El (@elliemigueel) November 7, 2017
David passed away, but the memory of that moment shared between David and Lil Fee is one that Ellie will not be forgetting anytime soon.
There is good news in that some hospitals are now becoming more relaxed in regards to pets being able to visit their loved ones. However, there is still a long road ahead until every single hospital recognizes the importance of a furry family member being able to visit their human relative. But in the meantime, it is a comfort knowing that there are some hospital staff members out there more than willing to bend the rules so pets and people can say their goodbyes.
